Mount for a sighting device on a firearm

ABSTRACT

A mount is used to mount an aiming device of the type for projecting a virtual image onto a target on a firearm such as a shotgun or a rifle. The firearm includes a back-sight or a rib and a front-sight at the free end of the barrel. The mount fixes the aiming device at the location provided for the front-sight.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The instant application is based upon French Priority PatentApplications No. 01.13458 filed Oct. 18, 2001 and No. 02.0.10938 filedSep. 4, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is herebyclaimed under 35 U.S.C. §119.

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a mount for a sighting device ona firearm.

[0004] The invention relates more particularly to a sighting devicefixed to the barrel of the firearm and adapted to project a virtualimage onto the target. Prior art sighting devices of this kind project ared dot onto the target, for example.

[0005] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0006] These sighting devices are normally disposed on the barrel at aparticular distance from the eye of the marksman.

[0007] However, all sighting devices are raised, which obliges themarksman to raise his head so that his eye is aligned with the sightingdevice, with the result that his cheek is no longer applied to thestock, making shooting inaccurate.

[0008] Sighting devices are now offered that are light in weight andvery small in size.

[0009] The prior art includes French patent No. 2 481 435 whichdiscloses a luminous front-sight consisting of a diode.

[0010] The only advantage of this kind of sighting device is that insome circumstances the front-sight is more visible than otherfront-sights; however, this kind of sighting device has the disadvantagethat, being attracted by the light, the eye is drawn to the front-sightinstead of being fixed on the target.

[0011] The invention proposes to provide a mount for shooting in thesame way as when using a standard sighting device (back-sight andfront-sight), equally well with a rifle, a double-barrel rifle or ashotgun when using a sighting device that projects a virtual image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A mount for mounting an aiming device of the type for projectinga virtual image onto a target on a firearm such as a shotgun or a riflewhich includes a back-sight or a rib and a front-sight at the free endof the barrel includes means for fixing the aiming device at thelocation provided for the front-sight.

[0013] Thanks to this arrangement, the sighting device can be positionedso that the projected image lies on the back-sight/front-sight axis sothat the marksman can fire with his cheek pressed against the stock andwithout having to raise his head. Moreover, parallax is eliminated andthe field of view is much larger.

[0014] Finally, shooting is much improved. To sight on a target, the eyemust be aligned with the back-sight and the front-sight and, in a smoothbore shotgun, with the eye perfectly aligned with the axis of the rib;any misalignment leads to a large aiming error. Because the “red dot”device always projects a light spot on the same axis, if the eye is notperfectly aligned and if the position of the cheek against the stock isnot correct, the target can nevertheless be hit.

[0015] In one particular embodiment, the mount further includes a plateprovided with means for fixing the aiming device to it and with meansfor fixing it to the location provided for the front-sight.

[0016] In one particular variant, the mount further includes a blockincorporating a dovetail groove, the front-sight is carried by a supporthaving a key adapted to be inserted into the groove, and the aimingdevice is fixed to a plate provided with a key matching the groove.

[0017] The mount preferably further includes means for selectivelyimmobilizing the support of the front-sight or the plate supporting theaiming device in the groove.

[0018] According to one feature of the invention the block incorporatesholes for a screw and the keys of the support and the plate incorporatea notch adapted to coincide with the holes and to cooperate with thescrew.

[0019] According to another feature of the invention the screw isscrewed into a nut and the nut and the screw have respective knurledheads.

[0020] Thanks to this arrangement, the front-sight and the aiming devicecan easily be interchanged.

[0021] In one embodiment, for a firearm in the form of a double-barrelrifle with two side-by-side barrels joined by a rib at the free end ofwhich is a support for the front-sight, the plate is shaped to espousethe shape of the support and is extended by two flanges espousing theshape of the barrels and provided with tapped holes adapted to receivescrews for fixing the aiming device, and the flanges are offset in theheightwise direction so that the axis of the virtual image coincideswith the back-sight/front-sight aiming axis.

[0022] The support can include a tapped hole and the plate can include ahole for a fixing screw adapted to be screwed into the tapped hole.

[0023] In another embodiment the mount further comprises a bush adaptedto be fixed to the free end of the barrel, a sleeve mounted to pivot onthe bush and carrying the front-sight and the aiming device angularlyoffset from each other, and means for selectively locking the sleeve ineither of two angular positions, in a first of which angular positionsthe aiming device is disposed so that the projected image is alignedwith the back-sight or the rib and in the second of which angularpositions the front-sight is aligned with the back-sight or the rib.

[0024] According to one feature of the invention the bush has at one enda flange constituting an abutment for one end of the sleeve and thesleeve is retained at its other end by the ring fixed to the barrel.

[0025] Finally, according to a last feature of the invention, the bushincorporates two blind holes offset by 180° from each other andconnected by a groove and the sleeve incorporates a radial holeaccommodating a ball spring-loaded by a spring so that it cooperateswith the groove and selectively with the blind holes.

[0026] The invention is described next in more detail and with referenceto particular embodiments provided by way of example only and shown inthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first mount.

[0028]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a front-sight which can be fittedto the first mount.

[0029]FIG. 3 is a view in elevation showing the fixing of a platesupporting an aiming device.

[0030]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment which canbe fitted to a double-barrel rifle with side-by-side barrels.

[0031]FIG. 5 is a front view of a second mount.

[0032]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a different embodimentof the invention.

[0033]FIG. 7 is a view of a mount in axial section.

[0034]FIG. 8 is a view in section taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 7.

[0035]FIG. 9 is a view in section taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 7

[0036]FIGS. 10 and 11 are sectional views corresponding to FIG. 9 andshowing different positions of the mount.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] In the embodiment shown, the mount provides on the barrel of arifle 1, instead of a front-sight, an assembly comprising a block 2having on its top face a dovetail groove 3 into which can be inserted amatching key 4 of a support 5 carrying a front-sight 6.

[0038] To immobilize the support 5 totally, the key 4 incorporates anotch 7 and the block 2 is provided with holes 8 through which is passeda screw 9 with a knurled head 10 which is screwed into a nut 12 whichhas a knurled head 11.

[0039] When the key 4 has been inserted into the groove 3, the notch 7is aligned with the holes 8 and the screw 9 is inserted into the holes.

[0040] The aiming device 15 is of the kind that projects a virtualimage, for example a red dot, and comprises a base 16 and two flanges 19supporting a ring 17 for protecting a lens 18.

[0041] The aiming device is fixed to a plate 20 by screws 23 screwedinto tapped holes 24 in said plate, which carries a dovetail section key21 with a notch 22.

[0042] The front-sight 6 can therefore be very easily replaced by theaiming device fixed to the plate 20 mounted on the block 2 andimmobilized by the screw 9, which is inserted into the holes 8 andcooperates with the notch 22.

[0043]FIGS. 4 and 5 show a different embodiment of the invention whichcan be fitted to a double-barreled rifle with two side-by-side barrels28 connected by a rib 31 to which is welded a front-sight support 29 inwhich there is a tapped hole 30.

[0044] The aiming device 15 is fixed by screws 23 screwed into tappedholes 36 in flanges 35 of a plate 32 incorporating a hole 34 for a screw37 that is screwed into the tapped hole 30 to fix the plate.

[0045] As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the plate 32 incorporates a step33 so that it can espouse the shape of the support 29 and the flanges 35are offset in the heightwise direction so that the red dot projected isat substantially the same height as the front-sight that has beenremoved.

[0046] Clearly, in either of the above mounts, the aiming device issubstituted for the front-sight and the axis of the red dotsubstantially coincides with the back-sight/front-sight axis.

[0047] The mount shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 can also be used ondouble-barreled rifles with side-by-side or vertically superposedbarrels, by providing in the support 29 a dovetail groove forselectively fitting either the support 20 or the support 5.

[0048]FIG. 6 shows the free end 40 of the barrel of a rifle to which isfixed a bush terminating at one end in a flange 42. The bush can befixed by any suitable means, such as one or more set screws 43 screwedinto a tapped hole 44 in the flange 42.

[0049] The bush 41 incorporates a groove 47 subtending an angle of 180°and ending in two blind holes 48 and 49.

[0050] Over the bush 41 is engaged a sleeve 50 fastened to a plate 51with tapped holes 52 intended to receive fixing screws 53 passingthrough holes 58 in a plate 54 carrying an aiming device 55 which is ofthe “red dot” type and includes a lens 56 protected by a frame 57.

[0051] The sleeve 50 incorporates a radial hole 59 housing a ball 62spring-loaded by a spring 61 retained by the plate 54.

[0052] A support 64 for a front-sight 66 is fixed to the sleeve 50, thesupport 64 incorporating holes 65 through which pass screws 63 screwedinto tapped holes 57 in the sleeve 50.

[0053] The aiming device 55 and the front-sight 66 are offset by 180°.

[0054] The assembly is retained by a ring 70 which is pressed againstthe free end of the bush 41 and fixed to the barrel 40, for example byone or more set screws 72 screwed into a tapped hole 71.

[0055] As can be seen in the various figures, the ball 62 cooperateswith the groove 47, and the sleeve 50 can turn on the bush 41 and belocked in either of two angular positions offset by 180°. In a firstposition (see FIG. 9) the ball 62 cooperates with the blind hole 48 andin this case the aiming device 55 is situated so that the red dotprojected is on the axis of the back-sight. In the second position (seeFIG. 11), obtained by turning the sleeve 50 in the direction of thearrow f (FIG. 10), the ball 62 locates in the blind hole 49, with theaiming device 55 under the barrel 40 and the front-sight 66 aligned withthe back-sight.

[0056] Clearly this arrangement is very practical because either thefront-sight or the aiming device can be used, by virtue of a simplehalf-turn rotation.

[0057] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodimentsdescribed and shown. Many modifications of detail can be made theretowithout departing from the scope of the invention.

There is claimed:
 1. A mount for mounting an aiming device of the typefor projecting a virtual image onto a target on a firearm such as ashotgun or a rifle which includes a back-sight or a rib and afront-sight at the free end of the barrel, which mount includes meansfor fixing said aiming device at the location provided for saidfront-sight.
 2. The mount claimed in claim 1 further including a plateprovided with means for fixing said aiming device to it and with meansfor fixing it to the location provided for said front-sight.
 3. Themount claimed in claim 1 further including a block incorporating adovetail groove and wherein said front-sight is carried by a supporthaving a key adapted to be inserted into said groove and said aimingdevice is fixed to a plate provided with a key matching said groove. 4.The mount claimed in claim 2 further including means for selectivelyimmobilizing said support of said front-sight or said plate supportingsaid aiming device in said groove.
 5. The mount claimed in claim 4wherein said block incorporates holes for a screw and said keys of saidsupport and said plate incorporate a notch adapted to coincide with saidholes and to cooperate with said screw.
 6. The mount claimed in claim 5wherein said screw is screwed into a nut and said nut and said screwhave respective knurled heads.
 7. The mount claimed in claim 1, for afirearm in the form of a double-barrel rifle with two side-by-sidebarrels joined by a rib at the free end of which is a support for saidfront-sight, wherein said plate is shaped to espouse the shape of saidsupport and is extended by two flanges espousing the shape of saidbarrels and provided with tapped holes adapted to receive screws forfixing said aiming device, and said flanges are offset in the heightwisedirection so that the axis of said virtual image coincides with theback-sight/front-sight aiming axis.
 8. The mount claimed in claim 7wherein said support includes a tapped hole and said plate includes ahole for a fixing screw adapted to be screwed into said tapped hole. 9.The mount claimed in claim 1 further including a bush adapted to befixed to the free end of said barrel, a sleeve mounted to pivot on saidbush and carrying said front-sight and said aiming device angularlyoffset from each other, and means for selectively locking said sleeve ineither of two angular positions, in a first of which angular positionssaid aiming device is disposed so that said projected image is alignedwith said back-sight or said rib and in the second of which angularpositions said front-sight is aligned with said back-sight or said rib.10. The mount claimed in claim 9 wherein said bush has at one end aflange constituting an abutment for one end of said sleeve and saidsleeve is retained at its other end by said ring fixed to said barrel.11. The mount claimed in claim 9 wherein said bush incorporates twoblind holes offset by 180° from each other and connected by a groove andsaid sleeve incorporates a radial hole accommodating a ballspring-loaded by a spring so that it cooperates with said groove andselectively with said blind holes.